


Mike and Jay see a ghost

by Boofzer (orphan_account)



Category: redlettermedia
Genre: Ghosts, Oneshot, Paranormal, read it and interpret it however you want, skosts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 09:55:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18870862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Boofzer
Summary: Mike and Jay remember a ghost they'd seen once long ago at New Years Eve.





	Mike and Jay see a ghost

**Author's Note:**

> I had an idea to write about ghosts as a metaphor and unfortunately at the same I was watching a redlettermedia video. Enjoy.

«Mike.»

 

«Huh?»

 

«Look.»

 

Jay handed Mike a firecracker feigning awkwardness. Mike couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

It was late at night, nearly early morning, they looked over the city sitting at the balcony of an hotel room. It had been New Year’s Eve, they’d travelled here to spend time with friends. There’d been a party, but now it was over. The sun was ready to rise, the fireworks had ceased. All except…

 

“Light it.”

 

Mike took out his lighter, lit the fuse and dropped the miserable thing on the ground. A tiny pop echoed through the room and the spark was gone. Jay laughed, Mike shook his head grinning.

 

“Now what…c’mon go to sleep…”

 

“Wait…”

 

Jay took out something from his jacket, it was mangled and a bit phoney looking but…

 

“It’s a card. I forgot I’d written it for you. I wanted to mail it, but I guess it isn’t necessary anymore…”

 

“a card? Jay we’re not grandmas, it’s been forever since…”

 

The card had an odd-looking Halloween pumpkin on front. Jay had probably just taken whatever was around, to make it seem casual. Opening the card, Mike found photos he’d never seen of him, Jay, and their friends from then. Mike looked at each one curiously, he barely remembered any of the events revolving the pictures. Jay stood quiet, waiting patiently until he read what was even written on the card.

 

“were you gonna mail me this with the firecracker?”

 

“Maybe.”

 

Mike turned his attention again to the card, his hands had gotten clammy by thinking about what Jay could’ve written in it, but he also had an incredible itch to read it. Jay writing a card? Odd. But then again, he’d changed a lot. Mellowed out, perhaps enough for a cheesy letter.

 

The card read:

Long ago you told me you’d seen a ghost by the woods we’d shot a short in. I never really knew if you were joking or not but recently, I found these pictures that were odd.

 

“Jay.”

 

“huh?”

 

“is this what you send in a Happy new year’s card?”

 

“uh, no? but I knew it would interest you... I didn’t wanna waste your time with a card that said nothing.”

 

Jay beamed, despite his tiredness he seemed cheerful.

 

“so where’s this ghost supposed to be?”

 

“You didn’t find it? It’s between those branches here. It moved a bit on the next pictures and you kinda can’t see ‘em on some but it’s recognizable.”  
Mike couldn’t believe they were talking about ghosts at whateverthefuck o’clock in the New Year’s Eve morning, but this is just how it was.

 

Mike had actually completely forgotten about that particular ghost. He’d seen a couple in his lifetime but somehow, he didn’t remember this one. The fact that he didn’t see the ghost right away confused him too. Might be the tiredness.

 

“did you photoshop the ghost in or something…”

 

“no, these are the original ones, found ‘em lying around”

 

“What were we even doing back then. I don’t even remember.”

 

“You don’t? We’d just unloaded the truck with our stuff to film, I didn’t have a scene yet, but I was there to help you anyway.”

 

Mike tilted his head and frowned.

 

“Keep going.”

 

“Uuh…You kept giving me crap advice and I did so as if I was listening. I guess Rich was sick or something? Since he isn’t there.”

 

“Right…”

 

Hazy, faint memories filled Mike’s head. He still didn’t understand why he’d forgotten about all of this, but at least Jay was here to remember it for him.

 

“You really don’t remember? That’s odd. It was the day …”

 

“Don’t finish the sentence. I think I’m remembering.”

 

Alcohol. Lots of Alcohol. And then a monologue that seemed to go on forever, one only Jay had heard.

 

“Oh god. You remembered what I said then? Drunk out my mind?”

 

“Yep.”

 

Mike smiled at the ground, not knowing quite what to do.

 

They’d stood in the middle of the forest while it was dark, getting stuff in the back of the car. They’d gotten there with two cars; the others had already left. Jay had decided he’d drive that night, so he was sober. Mike however, had drunk to the point of feeling sick.

 

“y…youuu…”

 

“Are you gonna vomit?”

 

Mike held a finger up at him, while he swayed a little.

 

“C’mon, let’s get you outta here…”

 

“m…Jay…Jay yyou... you’re gonna be with me.”

 

“what?”

 

“you gotta… we gotta sstay together.”

 

“Alright? I don’t recall ever having said I’d leave you.”

 

Jay had looked at him bemusedly.

 

“Me n’…rich…n’ you…n’…”

 

Jay went up to him to prop him up, as he looked as if he’d fall over any second. Mike had looked at him like he was some kind of hero.

 

“any more words before you pass out, mister Mike Stoklasa?”

 

Mike kissed Jay. Immediately after he had to vomit. Some got on Jay's shirt.

 

“I...I'm glad you did it after you decided to kiss me. Now please don't do it again. Or at least not now”

 

“euhhghgg...”

 

Jay started laughing, Mike joined him after the feeling of sickness had passed. 

 

“C'mon…in you go.”

 

Mike laid in the back of the car, refusing to sleep. Instead he held his hand up, mustering it while scratching at the ceiling.

 

“Jay…”

 

“Mike”

 

“yeah…”

 

Dark trees passed them, Jay drove in silence. Mike still felt a bit nauseous but he wasn't going to throw up again.

 

Looking out the window, he saw an odd white shadow.

 

“Jay, wait a second.”

 

Jay drove slower and asked what had happened.

 

“I think… I think there's a ghost…”

 

“yeah? what makes you think that?”

 

“I… I ssee it.”

 

The figure shifted, changing as it passed over the landscape. It was following the car.

 

When he thought it was clearly there it would again disappear, turning his certainty into doubt.

 

“Suppose there is a ghost outside chasing us, what would you do?”

 

“Film it. Catch it with a camera. I don't know, if it's harmless and just kinda there we don't have to pay mind to it.”

 

“rright…”

 

Mike fell silent. He didn't know what there was to be done with a ghost. Movies portrayed them in all kinds of ways but the real deal was something else. 

 

“Hhave you ever seen a ghost ?”

 

“mmmnope, none that I can think of.”

 

Sudden sadness engulfed Mike. Might’ve been the alcohol.

 

“I'll sleep. Maybe it’'ll disappear in the morning.”

 

“You do that.”

 

It took a while longer for the ghost to disappear completely. Might've been a bit more than a year. He'd see it time and again, sometimes strongly present, sometimes it was barely there for months, on other days it flickered, and on its later days it disintegrated slowly.

 

“You uh, ever seen another one since then? I don’t remember you having told me about it, despite the fact that you like rambling about ghosts in movies.”

 

“I don't know. I'm tired, lemme sleep.”

 

“ah...yeah well, g'night.”

 

“g'nite”

 

Mike waved him off sluggishly, Jay left to his room. Dragging himself to the bed, Mike slumped and fell on it, the impact making a loud squeaky sound. He grabbed his covers, hugging them more than covering his body with them and fell asleep.


End file.
